It's lifted straight up from the source material. As far as seventies series go, S: 1999 took itself quite seriously, in a good way. It's still sort of zany and the science isn't there in the plot, but the models and the casting more than make up for it.
I got sidetracked for a while, but here are some answers from that chat:
Ideally you just swap planets. Whatever you have set up for them on planet one is now surprise on planet two.
[in response to the above] This is the default solution for story focused games. The story continues to the next act, the players dictate how.
“I hadn’t thought of that! I don’t have anything prepared. Why don’t we just pause things here for now and chat. I’ll have it ready next time.”
I guess the question is how far off the path? Jump 1 away or Jump 6? GM completely unprepared? Or not as prepared as you’d like?
As a Traveller GM I’ve got
The notes for every planet and system within range of the PCs ship x2. I.e. for J2 every system within 4 parsecs.
A list of 100+ random NPC names
A couple sentences about each system
Same for the two to five largest factions in my setting
So if the PCs wander I’ve usually got enough material for one night’s worth of material
An easy delay is simply to go into more detail. For example, have them go through the steps of Customs at the new starport, or notice something interesting about another ship, etc. It adds texture to the game, is interesting, and gives you the extra time to prep.
For my group (not sure if it will work for every group) i just leveraged their completionist mindsets. I told them "here are 15 jobs" and the first thing they did was plot an exact course to hit all of them, so they prevented themselves from wandering.
The last one is my favorite of this bunch, because as a player I'd fall for that hook, line, and sinker.
You’re pinning for a system that prevents fascism, but it doesn’t exist. You prevent it through other sociological structures. The method for selecting power can’t do what you want it to do.
But by all means, keep trying to bait people online, I’m sure that helps you somehow.
The thing about a cult is that it doesn’t need you in particular. It needs people. Ideally, idiots. So it doesn’t matter that a lot of people are leaving/will leave Twitter. The idiots will remain, and the platform will serve its purpose.
BattleTech! That's the one. Didn't know they made an RPG out of it.
Firefly is an out of print Cortex Plus game by Margaret Weis Productions. It's in the list as well as Serenity (the Cortex Classic game by MWP, isn't IP licensing fun?).
Rifts is a classic, but also a very strange animal. And for some reason I thought Robotech was a minis game (must be confusing with something else).
Star Wars is already listed. I know those are technically different games, but I'm trying to keep the list as concise as possible (grouping the multiple versions of the same setting under one entry). I don't know much about the history of star wars RPG though. How would you summarize it? (WEG d6, d20, Fate)?
Lê a matéria, vai.